Arthroplasty is becoming significantly more prevalent as a surgical procedure to treat injury and disease. Of particular importance is the use of artificial discs to replace vertebral discs as functioning artificial joints.
Instrumentation employed to conduct surgical techniques that implant artificial discs still are of limited variety and generally do not permit modification subsequent to completion of the procedure without radical reconstruction and a significant likelihood of additional tissue damage. Artificial discs typically include two endplates and a core between endplates. The core permits movement of the endplates relative to each other, thereby simulating the function of the intervertebral disc that it replaces. Artificial discs can be implanted as complete assemblies, or, alternatively, endplates of an artificial disc can be inserted first, followed by placement of a core between the endplates. As in any surgical implantation, the initial placement may not be optimal. In such an instance, the surgeon typically is left with the option of leaving the implant in a sub-optimal position or removing it, and replacing the implant in a more optimal position. During the process, further traumatization of the surrounding tissue can occur. Therefore, a need exists for a device and a method that significantly eliminates or reduces the above-referenced problems.